Sandfly fauna of domestic & para-domestic habitats in arid & semi-arid zones of Rajasthan

Sandfly fauna of three districts of Rajasthan representing arid and semi-arid environments are described. A total of 2,042 sandflies belonging to two genera and seven species were collected. The arid district of Bikaner with irrigational development (by means of canal) showed considerably higher density of species Phlebotomus papatasi (16.5 PMH) as compared to Jodhpur district (1.0 PMH). The species encountered were Ph. papatasi, Ph. sergenti, Sergentomyia punjabensis, S. babu babu, S. clydei, S. bhagdadis and S. christophersi.

Diapause and quiescence in Lutzomyia diabolica (Diptera:Psychodidae)

Gravid, laboratory-reared Lutzomyia diabolica from Garner State Park, Texas, oviposited from May to December in an outdoor colony cage at Gainesville, Florida. Egg batches contained 100% fast-developing (nondiapause) eggs, a mixture of fast-developing and slow-developing (diapause) eggs, or 100% slow-developing eggs, depending on the time of year laid. The percent diapause eggs per batch increased from 0% in early October to 100% by December. These observations suggest that Lu. diabolica is a long-day species, depositing diapause eggs in response to shorter day length. Temperature may also modify the degree of diapause response by altering the calendar position of the critical day length. Termination of the winter diapause is probably temperature dependent. Quiescence was observed in 3rd and 4th stage larvae in both indoor and outdoor cultures and was usually associated with adverse conditions such as excessive moisture, extreme temperatures, or poor diet.

Seasonal variation of sandflies in Beni-Suef, Egypt

The sandflies were collected from Beni-Suef district over one year, and identified as P. papatasii, P. sergenti and Sergentomia m. minuta. The first species was predominant and increased during hot months.

Preliminary account of the phenology of some Nigerian savanna phlebotomine sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae)

A total of 1,705 sandflies was collected by sticky trap from the Guinea savanna of northern Nigeria to determine their seasonal and spatial fluctuations in abundance. Adult sandflies persisted throughout the year, but the highest diversity and abundance were recorded at the end of the rainy season. Females were collected more frequently than were males. The species collected in order of decreasing abundance were Sergentomyia antennata Newstead, S. bedfordi Newstead, S. africana Newstead, S. schwetzi Adler, Theodor & Parrot, S. affinis Theodor, S. adleri Theodor, S. clydei Sinton, S. simillima Newstead, S. buxtoni Theodor, S. christophersi Sinton, and Phlebotomus rodhaini Parrot. Sandfly abundance was greater near rocky terrain (Dumbi inselberg) and on an animal farm than on the open plains and in a residential area. Known vectors of leishmaniasis were not collected, despite the report of human cases in the study area.

Ecology of sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in a restricted focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis in northern Venezuela. I. Description of the study area, catching methods and species composition

A study on the ecology of phlebotomine sandfly fauna in a restricted focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis in northern Venezuela was undertaken in order to investigate the species responsible for the transmission. The study area and catching methods for phlebotomine sandflies are described. A total of 9,061 females and 1,662 males were collected during a year-term study. 12 species of Lutzomya and 1 species of Brumptomya sp. were identified. Absolute and relative abundance and occurrence for each species were determined. The relative occurrence allowed to distinguish the common species, viz. L. panamensis, L. ovallesi, L. gomezi, L. trinidadensis, L. atroclavata, L. cayennensis, L. shannoni and L. olmeca bicolor from the rare species vis., L. punctigeniculata, L. rangeliana, L. evansi and L. dubitans. General comments on the species composition of the sandfly fauna in this locality are made.

[Biology of Lutzomyia intermedia Lutz & Neiva, 1912 and Lutzomyia longipalpis Lutz & Neiva, 1912 (Diptera, Psychodidae), under experimental conditions. I. Feeding aspects of larvae and adults]

To improve our knowledge on the breeding and behaviour of sandflies in captivity, we established closed colonies of Lutzomyia intermedia and Lutzomyia longipalpis. Data are here presented on the feeding preferences of larvae and adults and their influence on the development and survival of each species. Fish food is accepted by the larvae of both species; it is easily available, unexpensive and does not encourage the growth of fungi. The larvae of both species, in all stages accepted food of vegetal and mixed origin, but the 1st and 2nd stage larvae of L. intermedia preferred vegetal food, while the 3rd and 4th stage larvae of L. longipalpis showed a discreet preference for mixed food. Previous feeding on sugar was not necessary to induce a blood meal. Both species can feed on man, dog, hamster and bird, but better development was obtained when the females was fed on hamster. The female of L. longipalpis were more resistant to the absence of blood meal than those of L. intermedia, although 70% of both were able to survive on a sugar meal up to seven days.

[Epidemiological characteristics of American cutaneous leishmaniasis in an endemic region of the State of Bahia. III. Phlebotomine fauna]

The phlebotomine fauna is highly varied in Três Braços, an endemic area of american cutaneous leishmaniasis, situated in the cacao growing region in the southeast of Bahia State, Brazil. Thirty spécies of the Lutzomyia genus were identified in 13,535 specimens collected between 1976 and 1984. Lutzomyia whitmani was the dominant species accounting for 99% of flies in the peridomicile and 97.5% of those caught in homes. In the forest the predominant species were Lu. ayrozai and Lu. yuilli. Lu. whitmani accounted for only 1.0% of the specimens examined. Lu. flaviscutellata, the proven vector of Leishmania mexicana amazonensis, was also collected in small numbers. Lu. wellcomei, a known vector of L. braziliensis braziliensis in the Serra dos Carajás, Pará, Brazil was not encountered in the Três Braços region where the parasite causing human infections is usually L.b. braziliensis. Although we have not encountered a natural infection with leishmanial promastigotes in 1,832 females of the various species examined, we discuss the probability that Lu. whitmani is the vector of L.b. braziliensis in the region maintaining transmission in dogs and man.

[Establishment of a colony, in laboratory, of Lutzomyia intermedia Lutz & Neiva, 1912 (Diptera, Psychodidae, Phlebotominae)]

A laboratory colony of the sandfly Lutzomyia intermedia was established (at present in its seventh generation) in order to provide specimens for experimental infection and for experimental xenodiagnosis of natural infections due to cutaneous leishmanias in Rio de Janeiro. Date are presented on the methodology and on the yield and duration of each stage of development, during the first four generations.

Micromorphology of the larval and nymphal cuticle of Simulium (Diptera: Simuliidae) of Zaire, Near or included in the Simulium damnosum complex (author's transl)

A stereoscan electron microscopy study of two forms of Simulium of Kivu, Zaire, apparently belonging to the Simulium damnosum complex, revealed some morphological particularities: the presence of microvillosities on the enormously enlarged scales of a larval form from a western tributary of lake Tanganyika, and the presence of spine-combs and comb-shaped scales on the nymphal cuticle of this form and a form from the equatorial rain forest of Irangi.

[Methods for population sampling of the immature stages of Simulium damnosum Theobald, 1903 (Diptera, Simuliidae) in West Africa. I. Preliminary observations on the vertical distribution of larvae and pupae (author's transl)]

Three techniques for sampling larvae of Simulium damnosum in different water depths are described. Preliminary results prove that the larvae can settle much deeper, i.e. up to 3 m, than reported before (0-30 cm). Without impairment pupation takes place in any depth.

[Presence in People's Republic of Congo of Sergentomyia decipiens, Sergentomyia dissimillima, Sergentomyia tauffliebi, Sergentomyia wansoni and Sergentomyia squamipleuris (author's transl)]

The authors indicate the presence in People's Republic of Congo of the five following sandflies: Sergentomyia decipiens Theodor, 1931; Sergentomyia dissimillima Abonnenc, 1972; Sergentomyia tauffliebi Abonnenc and Cornet, 1971; Sergentomyia wansoni Parrot, 1938 and Sergentomyia squamipleuris Newstead, 1912. They give the check-list of sandflies of Congo on the 31st may 1976 and a map of their geographical distribution.

[Sergentomyia (Sergentomyia) bedfordi firmatus Parrot and Malbrant, 1945 and Sergentomyia (Sergentomyia) bedfordi medius Kirk and Lewis, 1950 (Diptera, Phlebotomidae). Morphology of immature stages and bioecological accounts (author's transl)]

Immature stages of S. bedfordi firmatus and S. bedfordi medius have been obtained in laboratory culture. The morphological characters of egg, larva and pupa are studied, the duration of post-embryonic development and the conditions of colonization are specified.